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Duwamish Soccer League
The Duwamish Soccer League (Duwamishite: 이슬제가요미쉬 축구 리그, Quinaultan: デュワウミのーっサッカーリーグ), officially abbreviated as the DSL, is a Duwamishite professional league for soccer clubs. At the top of the Duwamish soccer league system, it is the country's primary soccer competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Duwamish Premier Soccer League. The Duwamish Soccer League is a corporation in which the sixteen member clubs act as shareholders. Seasons run from mid-August to early May, with teams playing thirty-two matches each, totaling 256 matches in the season. Most games are played on weekends, with a few games played during weekday evenings. The competition formed on 5 May 1885 with 12 clubs in the first organized soccer league in the country. The Duwamish Soccer League has since become Adonia's most watched soccer league and the largest soccer leagues in terms of revenue, with combined club revenues over ϵ1.748 billion in 2009–10. Three of the sixteen clubs that compete in the Duwamish Soccer League also compete in the Devine Premier League (DPL) as well as four in the Devine Development League (DDL), both international soccer leagues operated by the Alliance of International Football Federations (AIFF). Since 1887, winning clubs of several tournaments have been crowned champions of the Duwamishite soccer system. History :For a visual representation of the history of the Duwamish Soccer League, see our Dipity timeline. Origins The sport of association football, called "soccer" to avoid confusion with the already-established sport of football, was introduced to Duwamish in the late 1840s. Yejoon Jeong, future Chancellor of Duwamish and son of then-current Chancellor Woojin Jeong, was an avid player and briefly played for the Dawson Ducks in several friendlies between 1857 and 1859. Clubs began to be formed while the Laws of the Game were being written up. The Dawson Ducks was the first club to be officially established in Duwamish on 3 June 1857. Other clubs followed and began organizing pick-up games and later friendlies between each other. Spectators were invited to watch, and sometimes join the game, for free, but by the 1860s, fans were being charged to come to games at makeshift venues in parks and open fields. The first pitch made specifically for soccer was built in 1866 and named Riverfront Ground, home to the Dawson Ducks. Early attempts at forming a professional league for these clubs failed, most notably the East Sea League in 1874. Foundation and development In the summer of 1884, during a non-playing period due to the ongoing revolution, representatives from twelve clubs around the nation gathered in Dawson to discuss forming a professional soccer league, the first of its kind. On 5 May 1885, during the last days of the revolution, the twelve clubs signed the "League Declaration" and announced the formation of the Duwamish Soccer League. The league held its first season in 1886–87 and was originally composed of 12 clubs. The inaugural members of the new league were Arlington, Changwon Cosmos, Cowlitz Coyotes, Dawson Ducks, Dawson United, Goodwin Gorillas, Kalama United, Kelso, Lakewood Lions, Osan, Snohomish Sounders, and Ulsan. As the Duwamish Soccer League grew and developed, rivalries were formed, more stadiums were built with terraces (standing room), and other clubs were established. After turning away many clubs, the league established the Duwamish Soccer Federation to oversee all operations of soccer in Duwamish. The Duwamish Soccer Federation formed the Duwamish Premier Soccer League for league-less clubs to join, soon becoming a large league 16 clubs. The DSF proposed a system today known as "promotion and relegation" to even out the teams and add incentive to stay competitive. As part of the system, a tournament that comprised of all soccer clubs in Duwamish, professional and amateur, was formed and named the Duwamish Cup. A growing number of fans became infatuated with the sport and their club, forming supporter groups and packing small stadiums and their standing areas. In 1908 at the City of Osan Stadium, home of Osan, the terrace collapsed and killed 104 spectators, including 2 in the seating area nearby. The incident, named the "Osan Disaster", forced all clubs to construct larger stadiums, which some clubs were doing, and convert existing stadiums to all-seaters. The Department of Sporting Venues under the Ministry of Sports was established in 1930 to oversee all stadiums in all sports to prevent "a second Osan". During the early years of the Duwamish Soccer League, club owners were alleged to have fixed decisive matches, including some of the first Duwamish Cup finals. After further investigation of the soccer leagues by the Ministry of Sports in the early 1910s as a result of the Osan Disaster in 1908, ten of the twelve club owners were arrested for fixing games for gambling purposes. Expansion and canceled merger The DSL had remained at 12 clubs from its founding well into the 20th century. As more clubs were established and lower leagues, such as the Duwamish Premier Soccer League, grew to accommodate these new clubs, the DSL was losing revenue due to a short season schedule and small capacities at stadiums. In 1946, the Duwamish Soccer Federation approved of promoting four additional clubs from the DPSL for the next season, allowing the DSL to expand to 16 clubs. In 1955, the Quinault Soccer Association (QSA) agreed with the Duwamish Soccer Federation (DSF) to move its leagues and teams into the Duwamish's pyramid system. The Quinault Premier League, originally composed of 12 clubs, was proposed to be merged into the Duwamish Soccer League. After threats from clubs in the DSL to leave and form a new "super league", the DSF and QSA agreed to have a 10-club Quinault Premier League with two clubs (finalists from the league cup) going to the DSL and DPSL. Worldwide brand With the advent of televised sports, the Duwamish Soccer League began regularly broadcasting matches, including major rivalries and the Duwamish Cup from the quarterfinals onwards. The broadcasts contributed to the launch of the Duwamish Sports Network (DSN) by Larry Davis and Bill Morris in May 1970. DSN broadcasts were also aired in Quinault and Atia, where the DSL quickly became the most-watched television program. By the 1980s, broadcasts were being aired in Trentannia and other Althenan countries. In 1999, the DSL lifted a ban on commercial sponsorships of kits, stadiums, and sideline advertisements. This led to a rapid increase in international recognition and revenue for the league and its clubs. Since 1999, the DSL has had kits manufactured by Adidas and Devine Athletics. Only two clubs remain without a kit sponsor, East Kalama and Quileute United, due to a rule by the Quinault Soccer Association banning kit sponsorships in their league and two clubs. International representation In 2010, the Bremerton Bison and Dawson Ducks were sent to the Devine Premier League, an international soccer league for clubs. They were joined in 2011 by Kelso and Quileute United; four teams joined the Devine Development League, the second division of international soccer, Dawson United, Geoje, Kalama United, and North Dawson. In 2010, the Dawson Ducks represented Duwamish at the Club World Cup, hosted by Duwamish, and advanced to the quarterfinals to lose to runner-ups Kasaba Bay. Future Expansion to 20 clubs Since the expansion of the Duwamish Soccer League in 1947 from 12 to 16 clubs and the establishment of several lower-division leagues and new leagues on the horizon, further expansion to 20 clubs and a 380-game season has been supported by fans. DSF President and League Chairman Donald Chung suggested in 2010 that expansion to a 20-club structure would benefit all clubs in the league system. The DSF has recommended that an expansion of the league coincide with the planned separation of the 24-club Duwamish Premier Soccer League into two leagues with 20 clubs each and the expansion of the Quinault Premier League to 20 clubs for the 2011–12 season. If this plan was to happen by the 2011–12 season, the league system would comprise of 180 clubs in seven leagues over six levels. Another proposal suggested by the media, club owners, and the DSF is a merger with the Atia Football Federation and its football league system. A merger of the 10-club A-League and 16-club Duwamish Soccer League would create a "super league" of 26 clubs. A second proposal for an Atian merger is to have 4 clubs from the A-League join the Duwamish Soccer League, while the six other clubs form a new league or merge with the Quinault Premier League. Duwamish Soccer League matches in Atia are highly popular, with an estimated average of 40 million to 60 million television viewers during the 2010–11 season. A pre-season tournament is scheduled to take place in June 2011 in Atia, pitting the Duwamish Cup finalists against two local A-League clubs in the DSL Atian Trophy. Previous attempts at merging the DSL and A-League have failed due to travel distance and predicted financial losses for the DSF. Corporate structure The Duwamish Soccer League is operated as a corporation and is owned by the 16 member clubs. Each club is a shareholder, with one vote each on issues such as rule changes and contracts. The clubs elect a chairman, chief executive, and board of directors to oversee the daily operations of the league. The current chairman is Donald Chung, who was appointed in April 1999 and is also president of the Duwamish Soccer Federation, and the chief executive is Richard Akiyama, appointed in November 2010. The Duwamish Soccer Federation is not directly involved in the day-to-day operations of the Duwamish Soccer League, but has veto power as a special shareholder during the election of the chairman and chief executive and when new rules are adopted by the league. The Duwamish Soccer League sends five representatives to the Ministry of Sports' Duwamishite Club Association, the clubs chosen according to previous season standings and final place in the Duwamish Cup. The Duwamishite Club Association is responsible for electing three members to the Club Competitions Committee for Soccer, which is involved in the operations of DSF competitions such as the Duwamish Cup, qualification for the AIFF Club World Cup, and Kalama Cups. Competition format Competition There are 16 clubs in the Duwamish Soccer League. During the course of a season (from August to May) each club plays the others twice (a double round-robin system), once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for a total of 30 games. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then goal difference, and then goals scored. At the end of each season, the club with the most points is crowned champion. If points are equal, the goal difference and then goals scored determine the winner. If still equal, teams are deemed to occupy the same position. If there is a tie for the championship, for relegation, or for qualification to other competitions, a play-off match at a neutral venue, usually the Dawson Bowl or Gangnam Stadium, decides rank. The two lowest placed teams are relegated into the Duwamish Premier Soccer League (DPSL), and the top team from the DPSL, together with the winner (or runner-up if winner is also the top-ranked team) of league cup, are promoted in their place. Qualification for Club World Cup As of the 2011 edition qualification for the Club World Cup changes, the top two teams from the previous Duwamish Soccer League season and the finalists of the previous Duwamish Cup qualify for the AIFF Club World Cup directly into the group stage through a qualification tournament. The four teams play in a double round-robin tournament, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, and receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then goal difference, and then goals scored. At the end of the tournament, the club with the most point is crowned champion of the tournament and qualifies for the AIFF Club World Cup. Previously, a play-off between the two Devine Premier League clubs from Duwamish determined the representative to the AIFF Club World Cup during the inaugural edition. The Dawson Ducks won that qualification play-off over the Bremerton Bison and later reached the knockout round before losing to Kasaba Bay. Trophy The current Duwamish Soccer League trophy was created by the White Jewelers of Kalama in 1955. It weighs 25 kg (56 lb), and is 76 cm (30 in), 43 cm (17 in) wide and 25 cm (9.8 in) deep. Its main body is solid sterling silver and silver gilt, while its plinth is made of malachite, a semi-precious stone. The plinth has a silver band around its circumference, upon which the names of the title-winning clubs are listed. Malachite's green color is also representative of the green field of play. Finances :See also: List of Duwamish Soccer League club owners The Duwamish Soccer League has the highest revenue of any soccer league in Adonia, with total club revenues of ϵ1.748 billion in 2010–11, and also is the most profitable in Adonia. The Duwamish Soccer League was recognized for its outstanding contribution to international trade and the value it brings to Duwamishite soccer and the domestic broadcasting industry. The Duwamish Soccer League's gross revenue is regularly the highest of any sports league worldwide, followed by the annual revenues of the four other leagues in the "big 5". In terms of world soccer, the Duwamish Soccer League clubs are some of the richest in the world, with the Dawson Ducks the richest with a revenue of ϵ267 million in 2010–11. After the Duwamish Soccer League's new TV deal went into effect and the entry of clubs in international leagues, the league-wide increase in revenues is expected to skyrocket by the beginning of the 2012–13 season. Sponsorship The Duwamish Soccer League has allowed commercial sponsorship of kits, stadiums, and sideline advertising since 1999. Prior to 1999, the DSL hired a contractor to manufacture kits under their corporation, but later switched to Adidas in 1999. The 12-year contract expired in April 2011 and the league chose Devine Athletics to manufacture kits and all equipment. Media coverage Domestic Television has played a major role in the history of the Duwamish Soccer League since its mainstream introduction in the 1930s. The money from television rights has been vital in helping to create excellence both on and off the field. The League's decision to assign broadcasting rights to the Duwamish Sports Network (DSN) in 1980 was at the time a radical decision for a newly-launched station, but one that has paid off. DSN is now a globally-recognizable brand and the DSL is also broadcast on other major sports networks, such as YSN of Escambia. The Duwamish Soccer League sells its television rights on a collective basis. The money is divided into three parts: half is divided equally between the clubs; one quarter is awarded on a merit basis based on final league position, the top club getting sixteen times as much as the bottom club, and equal steps all the way down the table; the final quarter is paid out as facilities fees for games that are shown on television, with the top clubs generally receiving the largest shares of this. The income from overseas rights is divided equally between the 16 clubs. International Promoted as "The Greatest Show On Adonia", the Duwamish Soccer League is the world's most watched sporting league, being broadcast to nearly every country in Adonia, often on networks that are affiliated with DSN, which owns primary Duwamishite and Quinaultan rights. In Atia, coverage is shared between DSN and the Atian Sports Channel (ASC). In Escambia, coverage is exclusive to Yi Sports Network (YSN). The Duwamish Soccer League is particularly popular in Atia, where it is the most widely distributed sports program, ahead of its domestic league, the A-League. The matches are broadcast on DSN and domestic network Atian Sports Channel and television audiences are estimated to be between 40 million and 60 million, more than any other regular program of any type. Due to its popularity in Atia, the league announced in April 2011 that a pre-season tournament will be held there beginning in June 2011. The DSL Atian Trophy is scheduled to take place in Whidbey and Baotou and will involve the finalists of the Duwamish Cup against two local teams from the host cities, in this case the Whidbey Wanderers and Baotou Bandits. The 2011 tournament is scheduled to begin 4 June and go in a double round-robin system to determine seeding for a knockout stage with the final at Whidbey Stadium on 26 June. Clubs Stadiums , home of the Dawson Ducks, is the largest stadium in Duwamish and the league and accounts for 9.7% of combined capacity at 90,000 people.]] Duwamish Soccer League matches have been played in an estimated 135 stadiums since the formation of the league in 1885. The Osan Disaster in 1908 saw a recommendation that standing terraces be abolished; as a result all stadiums in the Duwamish soccer league system are all-seater. Since the formation of the Department of Sporting Venues under the Ministry of Sports in 1930, soccer stadiums in Duwamish have seen constant improvements to capacity and facilities, with some clubs moving to new-built stadiums. A total of three stadiums remain from prior to 1930, City of Osan Stadium in Osan, East Kalama Park in Kalama, and Geoje Central Stadium in Geoje. The stadiums for the 2011–12 season show a large disparity in capacity: the Dawson Bowl, the home of the Dawson Ducks has a capacity of 90,000 with City of Osan Stadium, the home of Osan, having a capacity of 22,500. The combined capacity of the Duwamish Soccer League in the 2011–12 season is 919,000 with an average capacity of 57,438. Stadium attendances are a significant source of regular income for Duwamish Soccer League clubs. For the 2010–11 season, average attendances across the league clubs were 26,420 for Premier League matches with a total aggregate attendance figure of 27.57 million. The Duwamish Soccer League's record average attendance of 34,204 was set during the 2006–07 season. Managers Managers in the Duwamish Soccer League are involved in the day to day running of the team, including the training, team selection, and player acquisition. Their influence varies from club-to-club and is related to the ownership of the club and the relationship of the manager with fans. Managers are required to have a DSF Pro License which is the final coaching qualification available in Duwamish. The DSF Pro License is required by every person who wishes to manage a club in the Duwamish Soccer League on a permanent basis (i.e. more than 12 weeks – the amount of time an unqualified caretaker manager is allowed to take control). Caretaker appointments are managers that fill the gap between a managerial departure and a new appointment. Several caretaker managers have gone on to secure a permanent managerial post after performing well as a caretaker. Erik Jeong has been in charge of the Dawson Ducks in the Duwamish Soccer League since 1 March 1996, making him the longest serving current manager in the league. Roy Wenger managed the Cowlitz Coyotes for 27 years, between 1951 and 1978, making him the longest serving manager of all time. Currently eleven of the managers are from Duwamish, four coming from Quinault, and one from Atia. The current managers in the Duwamish Soccer League are: Players Foreign players and transfer regulations Wages and transfer records Top scorers Player and manager awards In addition to the winner's trophy and the individual winner's medals awarded to players, the Duwamish Soccer League also awards the monthly Manager of the Month and Player of the Month awards, and the annual Manager of the Year, Golden Boot and the Golden Glove awards. Decade Awards Every ten years since 1890, the Duwamish Soccer League conducts an awards ceremony known as the Decade Awards on the anniversary of their founding, 5 May. They name players to three Teams of the Decade, a domestic squad, a foreign squad (since 1990), and overall squad (since 1990). Other player awards include Player of the Decade, Goal of the Decade, Save of the Decade, Top Goalscorer, Community Pride Award, and Top Appearances. Other awards include Manager of the Decade, Photograph of the Decade, and Commentator of the Decade. During the most recent ceremony in 2010, Nate Lee won the most awards of any player in the awards' history, winning seven awards, out of the nine player awards and twelve total awards: a spot in the domestic and overall Teams of the Decade, Player of the Decade, Goal of the Decade, Top Goalscorer, the Community Pride Award, and Top Appearances. See also *List of Duwamishite club managers *Soccer records in Duwamish